Biden Says 'I’m Not Sorry for Anything That I Have Ever Done,' Jokes About Allegations
Former Vice President Joe Biden’s increasingly likely presidential bid hit a serious snag in recent weeks as allegations of uncomfortable, and unwanted, physical interactions began to surface in recent weeks.
On March 29, Lucy Flores, a past candidate for Nevada’s lieutenant governorship, published a piece on The Cut alleging that then-Vice President Biden had sniffed and planted a “big slow kiss” on the back of her head at a campaign event in 2014, making her feel both uncomfortable and “embarrassed.”
In the week since the article was published, more than four other women have come forward alleging similar inappropriate conduct from Biden in past interactions.
Biden has made numerous attempts to explain the situation away in recent days, but Friday afternoon he did something unprecedented: He avoided apologizing for his past behavior and proceeded to make light of the controversy.
Biden’s weekend got off to a rough start Friday morning as he addressed the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers at the Washington D.C. Hilton, turning the week’s events into a full-fledged public relations nightmare.
As Biden took the stage, he shook hands with union president Lonnie Stephenson and proceeded to hug him before getting behind the microphone.
“I just want you to know, I had permission to hug Lonnie,” Biden said.
At start of his address to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Joe Biden jokes, “I just want you to know, I had permission to hug Lonnie.” https://t.co/Hvgxjgk9fw pic.twitter.com/19rJgEA1L5
— ABC News (@ABC) April 5, 2019
And the jokes did not stop there. Biden proceeded to make lighthearted reference to the allegations once again as his time came to a close — this time with his arm around a young boy.
“By the way, he gave me permission to touch him,” Biden said.
Following the speaking engagement, Biden told reporters that “It was not my intent to make light of anyone’s discomfort.”
Still, Biden was adamant in his refusal to apologize for the actions at the center of the controversy — apologizing instead for the discomfort of those alleging the conduct and that he did not “understand more” in the past.
“I’m not sorry for any of my intentions. I’m not sorry for anything that I have ever done. I have never been disrespectful intentionally to a man or a woman,” Biden said.
Friday’s comments come almost directly on the heels of Biden’s mid-week effort to explain himself to the public in a roughly two-minute video in which the former vice president indicated that he had always been a touchy person when attempting to motivate and reassure others.
“I shake hands. I hug people. I grab men and women by the shoulders and say ‘ You can do this,'” Biden said, “It’s the way I’ve always been. It’s the way I try to show I care about them.”
Social norms are changing. I understand that, and I’ve heard what these women are saying. Politics to me has always been about making connections, but I will be more mindful about respecting personal space in the future. That’s my responsibility and I will meet it. pic.twitter.com/Ya2mf5ODts
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) April 3, 2019
The video was, however, overshadowed by President Donald Trump’s reaction on Twitter.
He accompanied a tweet that read, “WELCOME BACK JOE!” with a doctored version of Biden’s original video, which included photoshopped pictures of the former vice president invading the screen to sneak up behind Biden as well as the sound of sniffing.
Biden quickly responded, implying that Trump’s response, and frequent statements on Twitter, had not been presidential.
I see that you are on the job and presidential, as always. https://t.co/j7wh3opXOv
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) April 4, 2019
In a moment with the media outside the White House Friday afternoon, Trump briefly addressed the back and forth, telling reporters that he believed Biden was only hurting himself with his statements this week.
“I don’t see Joe Biden as a threat. No, I don’t see him as a threat. I think he is only a threat to himself,” Trump said.
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